The Amber Ruffin Show

Last updated
The Amber Ruffin Show
Amber Ruffin Show poster.jpg
Genre Late-night talk show
Created by Amber Ruffin
Presented byAmber Ruffin
StarringAmber Ruffin
Tarik Davis
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes36
Production
Executive producers Jenny Hagel
Amber Ruffin
Seth Meyers
Mike Shoemaker
ProducersJason Carden
Jennifer Sochko
Zoie Mancino
Justin McGriff
Production locationsStudio 8G, NBC Studios
Midtown Manhattan
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesSethmaker Shoemeyers Productions
Universal Television
Original release
Network Peacock
ReleaseSeptember 25, 2020 (2020-09-25) –
December 16, 2022 (2022-12-16) (specials planned but not ordered yet)
Related
Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Amber Ruffin Show is an American comedy late-night talk show. Produced by Universal Television and Sethmaker Shoemeyers Productions and starring Amber Ruffin, it features a mix of sketches and monologues. The series was ordered for nine half-hour episodes and premiered on NBCUniversal's video-streaming service Peacock on September 25, 2020. Peacock ordered an additional 10 episodes in December 2020, and the series was promoted with a brief run on the NBC broadcast network in February and March 2021. The third season premiered on September 30, 2022. [1] In 2023, it was announced the program would only return on occasion as specials. [2]

Contents

The first season received nominations from the Primetime Emmy Awards, TCA Awards, and the Critics' Choice Television Awards, among others. The second season which premiered on October 8, 2021 received nominations from the TCA Awards, GLAAD Media Awards and the Critics' Choice Television Awards, among others.

Format

The show features comedic monologues and sketches with Ruffin and sidekick Tarik Davis. [3] [4] [5] The jokes cover topics including current events and politics.

Ruffin's recurring segment "How Did We Get Here" provides an in-depth look at the intersection of race, [6] gender, and politics in America and abroad, including segments on police brutality, Meghan Markle, [7] violence against Asian Americans, white supremacy, the filibuster, and the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot. [8]

Production

Development

On September 19, 2019, it was announced that Amber Ruffin would host her own show on Peacock, the new streaming service from NBCUniversal. [9] Peacock ordered nine episodes of the limited run series which could receive a full order. [3] The running time is 30 minutes. [10]

The Amber Ruffin Show is produced by Universal Television and Sethmaker Shoemeyers Productions, [3] and the executive producers are Jenny Hagel, Amber Ruffin, Seth Meyers, and Mike Shoemaker. [3]

The show premiered on September 25, 2020, on Peacock. [4] [11] As of its premiere, Ruffin was the only Black woman on television in the United States headlining a late night talk show. [4] On December 10, 2020, it was announced Peacock had ordered an additional ten episodes of the series. [12] On September 14, 2021, Peacock renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on October 8, 2021. [13]

Writers

Ruffin co-writes the show. She retains her job as a writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers . [14] Hagel is the head writer [11] and additional writers are Demi Adejuyigbe, Shantira Jackson, and Dewayne Perkins. [15] Patrick Rowland, Nnamdi Ngwe, Corin Wells, Ashley Nicole Black, Ian Morgan, Mike Poole, Zackery Stephens, Erica Buddington, Jill Twiss, and Michael Harriot joined the writing staff in 2021. [16]

Set

The show uses the same studio, Studio 8G, as Late Night with Seth Meyers, though a more intimate set is placed in front of the regular Late Night set, and the show tapes on Fridays for same-day airing when Late Night is usually dark. A running gag at the end of each week's Thursday/early Friday morning Late Night is Ruffin comically intimidating Meyers off his set so her show can set up and record. [17] [18]

Broadcast

On February 19, 2021, NBC announced that The Amber Ruffin Show would air on the NBC broadcast network at 1:30 a.m. ET/PT for two consecutive Friday nights (early Saturday mornings), February 26 and March 5, replacing A Little Late with Lilly Singh (which typically aired reruns on Friday nights) in its timeslot. [19]

Reception

The Amber Ruffin Show received critical acclaim. The first season holds an approval rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 8 critic reviews. [20] Garrett Martin of Paste wrote in a review, "if you’ve seen her on Late Night with Seth Meyers, you know how charming and disarming Ruffin can be...For a first episode, last Friday’s debut was remarkably confident and consistent, which is a great sign for the show’s future." [21] Of Ruffin's persona as a host Melanie McFarland wrote for Salon, "In attempting to describe her specific appeal, one struggles to write around terms that are typically disempowering to women like "adorable" or "spunky" or any other descriptor that would rightly merit a slap in the face. Ruffin's plugs into them, though. They're her power sources." [22] Kathryn VanArendonk of Vulture described the show warmly, writing, "Even from the first episodes on Peacock, Ruffin’s host persona was already in place, in all its iterations: her sweet, slightly sly baseline; the heightened camp of her goofiest sketches; the pivot toward directness and exasperation in her political segments. She delights in toggling between the broad and the specific." [23]

The show was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards. [24]

Award nominations for The Amber Ruffin Show
YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
2021
 Primetime Emmy Awards [25] Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series Jenny Hagel, Demi Adejuyigbe, Ashley Nicole Black, Michael Harriot,
Shantira Jackson, Ian Morgan, Dewayne Perkins, and Amber Ruffin 		Nominated
Television Critics Association Awards [26] Outstanding Achievement in Variety, Talk or Sketch The Amber Ruffin ShowNominated
Writers Guild of America Awards [27] Comedy/Variety Sketch Series Jenny Hagel, Demi Adejuyigbe, Shantira Jackson, Dewayne Perkins, Amber Ruffin,
and John Lutz		Nominated
2022
 Black Reel Awards for Television [28] Outstanding Variety, Talk or Sketch – Series or SpecialJason Carden, Jen Sochko, Zoie Mancino. Amber Ruffin, and Jenny HagelNominated
Critics' Choice Television Awards [29] Best Talk Show The Amber Ruffin ShowNominated
Dorian Awards [30] Best Current Affairs ProgramNominated
GLAAD Media Awards [31] Outstanding Variety or Talk Show EpisodeThe Amber Ruffin Show(for "Bisexual Superman Is Not Ruining Your Childhood, B*tch Please")Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards [32] Best Streaming Variety Sketch Series, Talk Series, or SpecialThe Amber Ruffin ShowNominated
NAACP Image Awards [33] Outstanding Host in a Reality, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special)Amber RuffinNominated
Television Critics Association Awards [34] Outstanding Achievement in Variety, Talk or SketchThe Amber Ruffin ShowNominated

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References

  1. ↑ Petski, Denise (2022-09-14). "'The Amber Ruffin Show' Gets Season 3 Premiere Date On Peacock". Deadline . Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  2. ↑ "Amber Ruffin to Star in NBC Comedy Pilot 'Non-Evil Twin'". 14 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 White, Peter (2020-09-14). "Peacock Unveils First-Look At Late Night Shows 'Wilmore' & 'The Amber Ruffin Show'". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  4. 1 2 3 Smart Young, Taiia (2020-08-10). "Amber Ruffin To Become Only Black Woman In Late Night With New Show". Essence. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  5. ↑ Holub, Christian (2020-09-14). "Watch the trailers for new Peacock talk shows from Larry Wilmore, Amber Ruffin". EW.com. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  6. ↑ "Amber Ruffin airs some of the sunken Black history white conservatives are trying to hide". The A.V. Club. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  7. ↑ ago, Tiara Starks 3 months (2021-03-13). "The Amber Ruffin Show: Ruffin remains silly and satirical in latest episode". Last Night On. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  8. ↑ "Amber Ruffin salutes the brave work of America's single women in outing Capitol terrorists". The A.V. Club. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  9. ↑ Wright, Megh (2019-09-17). "The Amber Ruffin Show Is Coming to NBC's Streaming Service". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  10. ↑ Steinberg, Brian (2020-08-10). "NBC Hopes to Extend Late-Night to Streaming Video With Amber Ruffin, Larry Wilmore". Variety. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  11. 1 2 Wright, Megh (2020-09-17). "Here's the Writing Staff of The Amber Ruffin Show". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  12. ↑ White, Peter (10 December 2020). "Peacock Extends Order For 'The Amber Ruffin Show'". Deadline. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  13. ↑ White, Peter (September 14, 2021). "'The Amber Ruffin Show' Renewed For Season 2 At Peacock". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  14. ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (2020-08-10). "'The Amber Ruffin Show' Will Include "The Best Parts Of Late-Night"; Host Talks Balancing Her Peacock Show And 'Late Night With Seth Meyers'". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  15. ↑ Garron, Taylor (2020-09-04). "Let Amber Ruffin Be Your Guide". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  16. ↑ Schneider, Michael (2021-04-13). "'Amber Ruffin Show' Expands Writing Staff As Peacock Talk Show Heads Toward Year Two (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  17. ↑ Setup and taping schedule was mentioned by Ruffin in the show's first episode.
  18. ↑ Framke, Caroline (24 September 2020). "How Amber Ruffin Built Her Peacock Late-Night Show". Variety . Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  19. ↑ White, Peter (2021-02-19). "'The Amber Ruffin Show' Gets NBC Slot, Replacing 'A Little Late With Lilly Singh' Repeats". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  20. ↑ "The Amber Ruffin Show". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  21. ↑ Martin, Garrett (2020-09-28). "The Amber Ruffin Show Is Too Good for Network TV". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  22. ↑ McFarland, Melanie (2020-10-09). "We need Larry Wilmore and Amber Ruffin for the hard truths we're too chickensh*t to tackle". Salon. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  23. ↑ VanArendonk, Kathryn (2021-03-22). "All Hail Amber Ruffin". Vulture. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  24. ↑ "The Amber Ruffin Show". Television Academy. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  25. ↑ "The Amber Ruffin Show". Television Academy. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  26. ↑ "2021 TCA Award nominees". tvcritics.memberclicks.net. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  27. ↑ "2021 Writers Guild Awards Nominees & Winners". awards.wga.org. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  28. ↑ "2022 Black Reel TV Awards Nominees". blackreelawards.com.
  29. ↑ "2021 Critics Choice Awards Nominees". criticschoice.com.
  30. ↑ "2022 Dorian TV Awards Nominees". hollywoodreporter.com. 23 June 2022.
  31. ↑ "2021 Critics Choice Awards Nominees". www.glaad.org. 15 September 2021.
  32. ↑ Verhoeven, Beatrice (2022-07-07). "'This Is Us,' 'Succession,' 'Severance' Lead 2022 HCA TV Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  33. ↑ "2022 NAACP Image Awards Nominees". naacpimageawards.net.
  34. ↑ "2022 TCA Award Nominees". variety.com. 16 June 2022.
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